New Perspective
by Jyoti
Summary: For years I wondered what was so tempting about the fruit from the tree of knowledge. I wondered why Eve had to eat that fruit when she could have picked from any other fruit in the garden, but after putting myself in the situation, I realize that I probably wouldn't have done it any differently.


**New Perspective**

For man years I wondered how Adam and Eve could eat the fruit from the only tree that God told them not to eat from. I wondered what made the fruit so appealing and different from all the other trees that they were free to eat from. I wondered if any of the other animals were talking or was it just the serpent and if that was the case, why would she believe the only talking animal? I wondered if anything else was said that wasn't recorded in the Bible that tempted Eve to eat from the fruit, or if she just liked the idea of having something she knew she couldn't have, like a lot of people today do.

A part of me used to always say that I would have never eaten the fruit that God told me not to. But then I put myself into her situation.

I imagine living in a garden so beautiful where nothing bad ever happens. I imagine never knowing about things like sickness, or death, or evil. I see myself talking to God as if he's another one of my friends. I can see him clearly and at that moment, I never knew of separation from God and humans, because it didn't exist. I'm enjoying myself with my companion Adam and I'm playing with the animals. Maybe the animals could talk, and I spoke to them easily as if it were no big deal. Maybe they couldn't talk but I understood what their emotions and feelings all the same.

I imagine going through the garden each day and always finding something new. Whether it be a new river, or a new flower. I sit on the luscious grass never having to worry about planting to produce food because God takes care of it all. And then one day this serpent, or snake comes my way. I imagine that I've see plenty of snakes before and I greet this one all the same, with a friendly hello.

But this serpent is different from all the others. The serpent comes up to me and asks, "Did God really say you must not eat from any of the trees of the garden?"

The question strikes me as odd because maybe all of the other animals never talk like this to me. Maybe all of the other animals only talk about the land, how beautiful it is, or how great God is but never questioning God's words. Maybe the oddness of the question doesn't cause me to take a step back and question the snake because I don't know what temptation is, having never been tempted my entire life. I know nothing of evil, only of the good that my God tells me. I recall the words that God talks to me about. Maybe I think back to when God told me about the tree.

I reply to the snakes question, "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it, if you do, you will die."

Maybe for that split second I think back on that last word, die. Maybe God has explained what death is to me, and for I second I have this new feeling called fear that I would not know of until I had attained the knowledge of good and evil. Maybe the serpent smirks at me, but I don't see it.

"You won't die!" the serpent replies, "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil."

Maybe for the first time in my entire existence I question if this serpents words are true. Maybe I question if God could ever be wrong, and I look back and forth at the serpent and the fruit and I realize that I have a decision to make. Maybe it's the words 'You will be like God' that get to me. Maybe I'm oblivious to it being a bad thing. Or maybe I realize that I am going against God but I feel it's for a good cause.

I imagine that if I were Eve, I would debate the situation for a little bit, but in the end be convinced to eat the fruit from the tree God told me not to. It's just like everyday temptations. How many times have we all been tempted to do something that we knew was wrong, but we had an urge to do it, and we didn't have the will power to stop it?

I then imagine myself after contemplating the decision, looking at the tree in a different light for the first time.

Genesis 3:6 says: The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and it's fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it could give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it, too.

I imagine finding the tree appealing, and just wanting to be like God. Having wisdom of both the good and the bad in the world. I picture Adam walking over to me and wondering what I'm doing. Though the Bible doesn't say, I picture Adam contemplating the idea himself, but going with my plan because I'm his companion.

Genesis 3:7 says: At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame of their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

I see myself gaining all this knowledge that I had never known into my brain, learning about the evil in the world, and looking at my nakedness as impure.

So then after thinking about it I realize that although what Eve and Adam did was terribly wrong, and they deserved to be punished for it, I am in no place to judge. Because looking back at it if I were in Eve's position, and had the knowledge she did, I probably would have done the same thing. So although Eve's sin caused pain and suffering for the rest of the world, can we really say that we would have done it any differently?


End file.
